And on it goes…
A Grab taxi driver in Phuket has filed a police report after being threatened by a number of local taxi drivers as he waited on the passengers who had booked his services. The incident happened outside Maya Beach Club in Bangtao, on the north-west coast of the island.
The 42 year old Grab driver, named as Jakkree Thummee, told Chergntalay Police that he dropped off passengers in the sub-district of Chergntalay at around 2.30am on Saturday, February 17. He then received a booking via the Grab app to pick up passengers at Maya Beach Club at Bangtao Beach.
When he arrived outside the club, the passengers were still inside and he decided to park and wait for them in his vehicle. According to the report, his taxi is a fully legal, registered green-plate taxi.
It appears however that the taxi drivers stationed outside the club didn’t care about his legal status. According to Jakkree’s complaint, as he sat in his car, a tuk-tuk arrived and blocked his exit. A group of 4 men then approached his car, with one of them knocking on his window and inviting him to “come outside and clear things up with me.”
Jakkree describes the man as large and his manner as threatening. When the men continued their threats, he decided to call the police and report the matter. However, by the time the authorities arrived, the taxi drivers had left.
PHOTO: 77Kaoded
After returning home, Jakkree says he reflected on the matter and decided to file a formal police complaint. Chergntalay Police have confirmed they are investigating the matter.
This latest report follows an incident last December, when another taxi app driver was violently assaulted by taxi drivers outside the same beach club. In that instance, the driver was hospitalised with injuries to his ribs and lung. He subsequently asked to be transferred out of the Phuket hospital to a hospital in his home province of Trang as he feared for his safety.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
